Manchester, 1936. Fascism looms in Europe, and Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts are on the rise.  
After the death of their father, two sisters arrive in Manchester’s vibrant ‘Little Italy’: creative misfit, Rose, and her much older sister, Ivy. Fearful of Rose’s impulsiveness, Ivy seeks to control her, forcing her to give up her cherished place at art school.
 
Frustrated and desperate to pursue her passion, Rose meets Renzo, a painter arrived from Europe. Their  connection is instant and powerful.  Yet as their feelings deepen, Renzo’s past in Mussolini’s Italy remains a mystery. 
As Blackshirts march across the city, Rose is drawn into the fight against fascism, even as she’s compelled to face the devastating question: just which side is Renzo on?